Shadow's Partner
by jorenmartijn
Summary: AU. During Shadow's traveling, he encounters a young blue hedgehog child with unusual powers. Thing is, the kid doesn't remember a thing! As time progresses, the two become closer and closer during their adventures. Sonic/Shadow, father/child relation
1. Chapter 1: Beaten and bruised

_Shadow's partner  
- Chapter 1: Beaten and bruised_

_It was the end of another long day of traveling for Shadow and his younger companion._ The reason he wasn't traveling alone was peculiar, since he saw himself as a bit of a loner: Shadow had been looking for wood to build a campfire for the night, about a week ago, when he heard something behind a bush nearby. When he went to check out what was causing the sound, he was surprised to see a young hedgehog, not older than six or seven years old, laying there, all bruised and scratched up. He looked liked he received quite a beating to end up like that. His breathing was rather shallow, which had to be the sound Shadow heard.

Another strange thing about this hedgehog was his fur color; it was a cobalt shade of blue, though it was a little hard to distinguish because of the scratches and bruises that littered his body. Shadow had only encountered green, brown, black and pink (for the females) hedgehogs since Doctor Robotnik released him, so he assumed those colors were more or less 'main-stream' for a hedgehog.

Shadow himself was a black hedgehog, too, but what made him stand out from other hedgehogs were his red markings. They were visible as streaks that traveled the sides of his arms and legs, as well as along his top quill. The other thing that made Shadow stand out was the shape of his quills. While other hedgehogs had much more, smaller quills, Shadow's quills were fused together and upturned.

That was also visible on the younger hedgehog he now held in his arms. The quills of the boy were as blue as the rest of his body, though they were turned downwards in a streamlined fashion. They gave Shadow the impression of speed.

He decided to go back to the cave he was currently staying in for the night and receive some bandages and means to clean the boy's wounds. The village elder of a nearby town had been saved by Shadow from an ambush from some of the Doctor's robots, who had been very grateful for that and told him that he'd wanted to repay Shadow for his deed but was unsure how to do that. The black hedgehog had not seen any need to be repaid, but maybe the elder could help out by providing those medical items Shadow needed for the blue hedgehog.

Thankfully, the elder was more than willing to help Shadow out. He even gave some directions on how to apply some disinfecting liquids. After that, he went back to the cave where the boy rested on a bed of leafs. It took about an hour, but the boy's wounds were all treated. Now all Shadow could do was wait until the boy woke up.

* * *

**author's notes:**

Well, this is kinda surprising for myself!  
I'm writing a story! Never would've thought I would, at least not so soon. :)  
Anyway, in this story, Sonic is a little boy hedgehog who's found by Shadow, all scratched and beaten up. He's going to take care of Sonic and they eventually end up becoming partners.  
Sonic's background is a bit foggy; the reason of that will be explained in the next chapter.  
Also, Shadow does NOT work for Doctor Robotnik (I honestly don't have a problem with him being called Eggman, but since this is Shadow, he'll just keep calling Robotnik by that name), but I'll explain that later on (probably through flashbacks, though those won't be chapter-fillers).

If you find anything out of place, gramatically AND spelling wise, please tell me!

_Disclaimer:  
Sonic and Shadow the Hedgehog are copyright SEGA/Sonic Team/Yuji Naka (Let's Tap!)  
- This story is (c) me._


	2. Chapter 2: Blank pages

_- Chapter 2: Blank pages_

'Where am I...?' was the first thought that came bubbling into the young hedgehog's mind as he woke up. He was looking up to a rocky ceiling. Then he tried to recall what had happened before he woke up in this strange place. Try as he might, all he could recall was… grayness. His head hurt a lot, too.

"Ah, so you're finally awake," a deep voice said. He looked up and saw a… hedgehog? "Here, eat some fruit," the hedgehog told him. "It'll help you feel better."

He gratefully took the fruit, which were a few grapes, oranges and some bananas. Thankfully, the fruits were very soothing for his throat, which felt very sore. He looked up at the other hedgehog, appreciation shining in his eyes. Shadow noted that the eyes were a very nice shade of green, almost like… an emerald green.

"My name is Shadow," the ebony one said. "I found you all scratched up and bruised and treated your wounds." The blue hedgehog was grateful for this, but what happened? He couldn't remember getting those wounds… In fact, he had trouble remembering anything at all that had happened before he woke up.

Shadow continued, "While you were out, I went around several villages in the vicinity to find out if people know someone with your appearance. My description of you didn't seem to ring any bells with anyone."

'Yeah…,' the blue hedgehog pondered, 'where do I live? I can't remember anything.' The black hedgehog became worried about the fact that the younger one hadn't spoken yet since he was awake. "Hey, kid, could you talk to me?" he inquired, hoping to get the other to speak up.

Those words finally seemed to get through to the blue boy, as if he had been deep in thought. Blue looked up and said, "I'm sorry, Mister. Thanks for helpin' me out." Shadow felt relieved at this. "Don't worry about it, kid. Now, could you tell me your name?" The boy opened his mouth and began, "My name…," and stopped, racking his brain. A horrible fact hit him like a boulder. Besides the inability to remember where he lived or what happened, he also couldn't even remember his own _name_!

The boy started shaking with fear and managed to stutter, "… I-I can't remember! I can't remember my name!" Shadow couldn't believe his ears. He himself couldn't remember a lot of his own past, either, but at least he still had a name. This kid seemed to have amnesia. Question was, how severe was it?

He decided to ask a few more questions, just to make sure. "But surely you can still remember something, can you? What about where you live? Any relatives you can remember?"

Blue took a moment to reply, still shaking, but it wasn't what Shadow wanted to hear, "I'm sorry, mister, I'm tryin' real' hard, but there's only a lot of white that I can remember." Shadow groaned. Great, what had he gotten himself into _this_ time? He was only trying to help out this kid, and now he was stuck with a 6-year-old amnesiac that couldn't even defend himself when need be!

Fine, then, Shadow would have to look after the kid until he got his memory back. Besides, it wasn't as if Blue could help it, either. It could be a problem getting enough food for the both of them, but Shadow couldn't help but feel the boy being his responsibility now.

"Uhm, Mister, is… anythin' wrong?" Blue asked nervously, afraid of the other's possible reaction to his answer. Shadow shook his head to clear his mind, then looked to the boy again. He had to choose the right words to let the boy get what he meant. He began, "No, nothing's wrong, kid," then paused for a bit, before continuing, "Listen up, I have an idea. You don't seem to remember anything, right? How would you like it to stick around me for a while, so we can help you get your memory back?"

The boy's ears perked up, seeming relieved that the other didn't reject him for not remembering anything. He also didn't sense any negative intentions in the other… even if he couldn't tell how he knew that. "Of course, sir! That'd be great! Thanks a lot!" the boy exclaimed, his tail wagging.

"Don't mention it. I'm sure we can clear up your mind one way or the other. Oh, and you don't have to call me sir or Mister; just call me Shadow, that's enough for me," the black hedgehog told him, smiling just slightly. "Oh, of course, Shadow!" the boy said, suddenly being able to barely suppress a yawn. Shadow chuckled, "I think you need a little more sleep to recover, Blue. Don't worry, I'll keep an eye out for any danger."

The boy couldn't suppress a yawn this time, and his eyes started to get droopy as well. He laid back down on the bed of leafs and his breathing evened out, but Shadow's sensitive ears managed to pick up one last mumble from the boy, "Thanks… Shadow… for helpin' me."

Shadow couldn't help but smile and patted the boy's head, whispering, "Don't mention it, kid. Don't mention it." Maybe this wasn't going to be that bad after all. He then laid back to get some rest himself…

-------

**a/n:**

Well then, here's chapter 2!

Anyway, in this chapter, Shadow and the blue boy are introduced to eachother. But something's wrong with the boy, which will lead to some interesting things, too.  
Also, I'm showing an ability of the boy here, too, even if he doesn't know he has it... can you spot it?

I've got a rough idea where I want this story to go, but suggestions are always welcome, especially for continuities to use (like Sonic Underground, SatAM, SegaSonic, Storybook Sonic (Secret Rings/Black Knight), Fleetway Sonic)! More than welcome, actually!

Anyway, I hope you'll enjoy to read this chapter. Also, if you spot any grammatical or spelling error, please tell me.

Disclaimer:  
- Sonic and Shadow the Hedgehog are (c) SEGA/Sonic Team/Yuji Naka  
- This story is (c) jorenmartijn. Steal it and I'll hunt you down with a Chaos Spear! :

Well then, **ATL**, you wanted to see a longer chapter. I did my best and it came out roughly twice as long; that good enough? :)  
And **N. Harmonik**, of course I'm going to continue. ;) Like I said, I already have a rough idea where I want this to go, though I'm always open to ideas.  
Thank you for the encouragement, **shadowdragon91m**!


	3. Chapter 3, part 1: Let the speed mend it

- Chapter 3: Let the speed mend it – PART 1

The boy had to recover for two days, but he was able to walk and do things much easier by then. Now, Shadow had observed the boy during that time and the more he did this, the more he became convinced the boy was special. Those quills… they couldn't just be for show. They, coupled with the lean body of Blue, gave him a very strong impression of speed.

He was eager to test his theory, but he knew this had to wait. At least until Blue was fit enough. Didn't want the boy to push his body too hard, after all. Blue currently sat with his legs crossed, his eyes scrunched closed in concentration. No, he wasn't meditating or something like that, he was just attempting to at least remember _something_.

His mind felt like it had been drowned in some kind of solid fog. That feeling as if there was something just on the other side of that wall the fog formed. Blue couldn't get through it; it was just too hard! He sighted sadly, his eyes burning with hot tears, but he held them in.

Shadow had been observing Blue and wondered what the other wanted to accomplish by taking on that particular position, but didn't question the boy. However, when he heard Blue sigh, he knew he probably tried to force his memories out. That wasn't a good thing to do at this stage. Not while the blockage was still fresh. Shadow knew this from experience.

It felt awkward, but Shadow had this strong urge of comforting the boy, even when he wasn't used to dealing with children. He stood up and walked over to the boy, putting a hand on the boy's shoulder. Blue flinched, before looking up to Shadow. Tears were still threatening to spill, but Blue tried his best to not let that show. He didn't want to look weak.

Shadow noticed the sour mood around the boy and asked, "What's bothering you, Blue?" The boy spoke, "It's just… I've been tryin' to remember so hard, but it's like there's nothin' there. Just a thick wall. It's just so frustratin', Shadow! I feel so helpless, so… so…," the boy trailed off, unable to come up with a word to describe his feelings. The black hedgehog thought he understood what the boy was getting at.

"I think you meant to say you feel vulnerable, don't you?" Shadow asked, suddenly able to relate to this boy. When he was first released, he felt horribly out of place in this big world called Mobius. Of course, he still had some memories of a blonde girl teaching him how to communicate with other people. That certainly had come in handy. Now, if only he knew who that girl was ….

The boy nodded in response to the question. Yes, vulnerable was the best description of his feelings right now. It was easier to keep the tears in, now he knew the other knew how he felt. It was a real relief. Shadow looked at him, noticing the boy was much more calm now. With a slight smile tugging at the sides of his mouth, he patted the boy's shoulder, finally suggesting, "If you feel vulnerable, why don't we go out working on your confidence today? I can teach you how to defend yourself and things like that. What'd you say?"

Blue looked very glad when he heard that. He smiled and answered, "I'd really like that, Shadow! Thank you!" Suddenly, he felt very tired. Shadow spotted this and told him to lie down for now, "You still need some sleep. Don't worry; tomorrow you'll probably be fit enough for us to travel. We'll leave then."

The boy gave a nod and suddenly yawned, his eyes drooping closed. "Okay, Shadow…" The black hedgehog couldn't help himself but smile, before patting Blue on the head in an affectionate way. 'I didn't know having someone to care about could feel so… rewarding,' Shadow thought to himself.

The next morning, Blue and Shadow had finally stepped out of the cave. It amazed Shadow how fast Blue had healed. He didn't know for sure, but he was pretty certain that healing rate was above normal. The boy also seemed rather happy to be outside, as all he'd literally known were the surroundings of the cave.

"Wow, it's so pretty out here!" Blue exclaimed, taking in his surroundings with an air of eagerness and curiosity. Shadow chuckled, something he found himself doing more and more now, before replying, "Forest is called Frog Forest. It was named after the many frog populations that live here." Blue took it in eagerly, but this raised some new questions, "Frogs? What are frogs? And what do they look like?"

Shadow was shocked Blue didn't even know these kinds of things, but it was no matter; he'd teach him. "Frogs are small creatures. They're usually green or brown colored. They have quite large eyes that are yellow colored. Also, their skin is really slimy and slippery. This is to protect themselves from their natural predators." The boy nodded, still giving Shadow all of his attention, as the black hedgehog continued, "Beware, though, as some frogs are poisonous. If you touch their skin, the slime contains something that makes your skin hurt a lot."

"Can I ask somethin', Shadow?" Blue asked with wide eyes, "Sure, go ahead." Shadow said. "If this forest's named Frog Forest, then why aren't there any frogs here?" the boy asked, looking around. "That's because they usually life around water. There's a small pond nearby; we could go take a look. Would you like that?" Shadow answered.

"Yeah, please, can we go? I'm really excited to see what they look like!" Blue exclaimed, hopping excitedly from one foot on another. Shadow raised his hands to calm the boy down, saying, "Alright, alright. Calm down. We'll go now."

Blue tried hard, but he couldn't keep his excitement hidden entirely. Shadow and the boy left the cave behind, traveling further into the forest…

When they arrived at their destination, Blue couldn't help but gaze in amazement at the beautiful sight. Green creatures were all around a small pond, making very strange noises, though there was a kind of harmony to the sounds. The boy turned to Shadow and asked, "What's the sound they make?" Shadow chuckled and answered, "They're croaking. It's their way of communicating with one another."

The boy nodded in understanding and kept gazing at the scene in front of them. After a while, though, Shadow decided they'd best get underway with their journey. He crouched down on one knee and laid his hand on Blue's shoulder. "You know, we should really get going now. There's plenty more sights like this one that we'll encounter. It's a big world, after all. What'd you say?"

"Uhuh, alright then," Blue replied, seeming a little disappointed, but excited about seeing more of the world at the same time. "Sounds great!" he exclaimed. Shadow grinned, happy that the boy was willing to travel. "Okay then, let's go. We'll be able to exit the forest in an hour from now," the black hedgehog said, standing up.

The boy nodded and joined him and they started walking in the direction of the forest's edge.

* * *

_Well, here's part one of chapter 3!  
I had quite a bit of fun writing this one.  
As always, suggestions and grammar/spelling corrections are alway welcome._

_Bit of bad news, though: I've been denied use of the character Devlin. :(  
(POSSIBLE SPOILER! ) Ah well, I'm going to tweak Jules (Blue's dad) to be more to my liking._

* * *

_FantomoDrako: And you get **two** digital cookies for giving me a name to couple with the ability! Thanks a lot!_

_omnitrixfreak: Sonic X? If I'd only use Sonic X elements, I'd horribly limit myself... Or was there a specific element of Sonic X you'd have liked to see? Besides, Sonic X is essentially Sonic Adventure 1 & 2 (plus StarFox elements in the Metarex saga)_

_N. Harmonik: Yes, it will be quite the shock for both of them, but also fun to write about. :) And yes, I already have something planned for the chilli dogs. I'm just going to make Blue like more food than just chilli dogs. ;) Also, a digital cookie for the ability for you too!_

_Neph Champion: Your ideas are good, but I don't want the royalty factor to be __that overpowering in the story. I might include Caliburn, though, but not directly connected to Blue. ;) Also, as I'm not that familiar with Dingo and Sleet, I'm not that convinced I can write them in-character enough. I did like Eggman's lackeys in Sonic X, though, Decoe and Bocoe, so I __might make them supportive characters (with emphasis on the emphasis :P)_

_ATL: Not happy that easily, eh? :P Well, you'll be happy when you hear that chapter three as a whole is probably going to be over 2000 words, depending on how long I can make part 2 and possibly part 3. I'm just happy you're still willing to read this despite the_

_Ghostkid33: I can see what you mean with the comparision. Yes, though it was unintentional, the situation seems very familiar to Unleashed's plot. Ah, subconsious impulses. :P And you get a digital cookie for getting the ability right!_

_suicuneluvr: And yes, I'm taking many Underground elements into consideration, but it's not going to take place during the show, since I'm creating my own version of Sonic here. :)_

_Thanks to everyone who reviewed! The response has really encouraged me to continue writing (though I would do so anyway), so you don't have to wait very long for part 2 of chapter 3. :)  
_

_  
Disclaimer:  
- Sonic and Shadow the Hedgehog are (c) SEGA/Sonic Team/ Yuji Naka  
- This fiction is (c) me, jorenmartijn_


	4. Chapter 3, part 2: Let the speed mend it

_- Chapter 3: Let the speed mend it – PART 2_

After Blue and Shadow exited the forest, they were greeted with a wide plain of grass and hills. "This part of the county is called the Green Hill Plains. There's lots of wildlife here, in the lower parts of the hills, so we need to be careful not to upset the animals while we venture through their living grounds," Shadow explained, receiving a nod of understanding from Blue as he observed the wide space. "There are mostly armadillos around this part, so watch out for their temper," Shadow finished.

The boy nodded again, suddenly feeling a tingle in his feet, "Uhm, Shadow, I'm… havin' this urge to go run. Can I? " Blue asked, wanting to release some pent up energy for some reason.

"Oh, sure. Go ahead," Shadow answered, happy that he didn't have to persuade the other to prove his theory. "I'll run to that hill over there and back, okay?" Blue said. Shadow nodded and while Blue got in a runner's position, even if he didn't know it was called that, the black hedgehog was brimming with curiosity.

"3… 2… 1…" Blue counted down, bracing his bare feet against a piece of elevated dirt. "GO!" the boy shouted, thrusting himself forward. Shadow had to quickly move his head in the direction Blue moved, much quicker than he had thought. A faint, blue streak was trailing while the boy ran. "Whoohoo!," Blue shouted happily, feeling the adrenaline pumping through his veins. He had so much _energy_! It felt great to run!

Shadow was amazed. He had a feeling the boy was fast to begin with, but not _this_ fast! He was counting the seconds Blue needed to return, and he judged the boy had traveled about 20 miles in 10 seconds. 'I think Blue needs a new name, since he's got much more than just a unusual color…', the ebony one thought. He'd come up with one later, he decided.

Meanwhile, Blue was already on his way back from the hill he was heading towards. He could feel the wind in his quills, moving in over them and actually accelerating him instead of slowing him down. He could see Shadow rapidly approaching now, so he tried to slow down so they wouldn't crash. The boy skidded to a halt in front of the black hedgehog and panted only slightly. Shadow couldn't believe it: Blue didn't only need just ten seconds to complete the first lap, but he needed even less time on the way back!

The boy was excitedly chirping, "Oh wow, it felt so great to run, Shad-OUCH!" Blue suddenly jumped as if his feet were on fire, which was almost accurate. There were sore spots all over his feet and they showed signs of blisters forming on them. "Ow, ow, ow, ow…" Blue whimpered, sitting down and grasping his feet, then giving a yelp when he touched a particularly sore spot.

Shadow rolled his eyes and thought to himself, 'Of course, the friction of running isn't very friendly to one's feet if they don't wear shoes. How could I forget that?', before setting down his backpack he'd been carrying. Lucky for Blue, he knew a mixture of herbs that'd not only cool his feet down and heal the blisters, but would also enable him to walk the rest of the way.

"Sit still, please. I need to apply this salve so you can walk normally again," Shadow requested, putting on the salve. Blue kept wimpering, jumping slightly when the cold green mixture touched his feet. Shadow took some bandages that wouldn't get torn off that easily and put them around Blue's feet.

"There, now you should be able to walk again, but you shouldn't run until I say so, okay?" Shadow told the boy, getting a look of disappointment, but a confirmation nonetheless, "Okay, Shadow… Ouch, still hurts…" Blue whimpered again. "Come on, I'll help you walk. We need to go a little further for a spot where we can settle down." Shadow said, supporting the boy and traveling in the opposite direction of the forest.

The next day, Blue's feet were mostly healed from the blisters, though they were still sensitive as heck. After plucking some fruit to serve as breakfast, the two got underway again. "Alright, Blue, we're arriving in the Green Hill Plains soon, but stay close to me. There's a lot of wild animals around here, armadillos for example, so you'd be wise not to upset them." Blue was looking around excitedly, but nodded anyway. He was drinking every detail around them in, the thirst for knowledge insatiable.

"Will we see the armadillos today, Shadow? " the black hedgehog opened his mouth to answer, but was cut off by a scream for help coming from the lower parts of he hills. Blue's ears pricked up, turning in the direction where the sound came from before the two took off, going to lower grounds – Green Hill being true to its name, having very large hills.

The source of the screaming was quickly identified by Shadow as a young fox, being ambushed by, "Well, it looks like you're lucky, Blue: those are the armadillos! And the flying things are stinger bees. However, the fox isn't that lucky!" Shadow exclaimed, causing Blue's attention to be directed to the creature in the middle of the circle of animals. Sure enough, judging by Shadow's description the previous night about foxes, the cowering kit matched that description, though there was one thing off: this fox had TWO tails instead of one!

"Shadow, we've gotta help him!" Blue yelled, sensing the danger the fox was in, "Can you distract them? I'll get him to safety in the meantime," Blue offered, causing Shadow to grin. "Sure, let's do this! But be careful!" Shadow called, taking off in a wide circle to end up in the opposite of Blue. "Heya, buncha boneheads! Come and get me!" Shadow taunted, getting the attention of the other animals that turned to face him.

Blue, seeing this was his chance, took off and made it to the trembling fox kit, "Come on, buddy, let's go!" the boy said, unfortunately grabbing the attention of the angered armadillos, turning back to the two boys, growling loudly. Blue sweat dropped, "Whoops, talked a bit too loud! Gotta split!", taking off and pulling the kit with him, who was taken by surprise and lifted of the ground, bungling behind the blue hedgehog.

Shadow, seeing his ploy ruined, dodged the stinger bees that charged at him, activating his jet shoes and took off. He skated alongside Blue and the fox, grabbing Blue by his free hand and skating even faster, the other hedgehog having trouble to keep his own feet on the ground. They circled the large hill, diving into a group of bushes, watching the angered animals charging by.

The black hedgehog let out his breath he didn't even knew he was holding in a long sigh. Blue turned to the fox and spoke, "Hey, you okay there?" The twin-tailed fox opened his eyes, pushing himself up. He saw two blurs in front of him, black and blue, his vision still distorted from having traveled at such a fast pace. He shook his head, his vision clearing up now to reveal the two colored shapes as a black and red hedgehog and a smaller, blue hedgehog, who looked back curiously.

"What just happened?" the fox wondered, blinking confusedly. The black hedgehog answered the question for him, "Blue here saved you from those armadillos, though if he hadn't talked so loudly, we wouldn't have had to run so fast…" Shadow broke off, making Blue grin sheepishly. Just then, the boy's feet caught up with the yet again forming blisters. He yelped out and sat down, making Shadow frown, touching his feet tenderly, "but the main thing that matters now is that you're safe. What'd you do to rile those bees and armadillos up to that extent?"

Ah, yes, he was collecting the data on some branch of a tree for his new projects when he accidentally dropped that beehive on the armadillos.  
He'd run away, but those mad animals eventually caught up with him. "Uhm, I dropped that beehive on the 'dillos by mistake. Both parties weren't very happy with that…" the fox sweat dropped, realizing he should've been a little more aware of his surroundings. "Thanks for saving me, Mister… ?" he broke off, realizing he hadn't even introduced himself, "You can call me Shadow. The blue one's… well… Blue. Long story. But you're welcome. Now, what's your name?" Shadow said while applying some left-over salve on Blue's feet again.

The kit smiled, answering, "My name's Miles Prower, but you can call me Tails if you want." Miles answered, waving his twin tails to point out the obvious. "Nice to meet'cha, Tails!" Blue answered, giving the fox a grin. Miles smiled and asked, "What's wrong with your feet anyway, Blue?" Shadow answered, "The boy's able to run so fast, his feet can't stand the friction it causes. I was planning to buy a pair of shoes for Blue in the nearest town, since we'll probably face more situations were we need to run."

Tails' face lit up upon hearing that, snapping his fingers, "That's it! Now I have a way to repay you for your help!", he exclaimed. Shadow opened his mouth to protest, but the kit broke him off, "It's the least I can do. Come on, I'll take you to our workshop!" Blue was excited, jumping to his feet and chatting happily with Tails while Shadow followed at a small distance.

After awhile, the trio arrived at a small village. A large wall was with watchtowers was located around the village. "Welcome to Knothole!" Tails exclaimed as they entered the village, "By the way, the watchtowers are leftovers from the Great Mobian War. Some of the elders are paranoid that the war could start all over again, so the towers haven't been removed yet," Tails explained, earning confused looks from the two hedgehogs, "Mobian War?" Shadow repeated, feeling like he heard something about it before.

"If you wanna know more, you could always ask my Uncle Chuck," the fox suggested, "After all, he served in that war. The workshop is at the other side of the village, so we better head there now. Chuck's got to be worried by now…,," Tails said. Blue and Miles began chatting with each other again while Shadow observed the villagers. There was an interesting mix of species, ages and social groups to be found, though the village in general seemed rather wealthy.

Soon enough, they reached the workshop, which was a large store with a house connected to it. Like the rest of the houses, the workshop used a combination of stone and wooden materials. "Uncle Chuck! I'm back!" Tails called, receiving a muffled acknowledgement from the back of the house. A few seconds later, the owner of the voice appeared, an older, bluish violet hedgehog wearing a moustache. "Miles!" the hedgehog, Chuck, exclaimed, "Where in the world have you been?! I was worried sick about you!"

"Eh… long story short, I accidentally upset some animals during my research and got saved by Shadow and Blue here," Tails explained, sweat dropping again. "If it wasn't for them, I'd be a goner for sure," the fox continued. Shadow found it strange the young fox addressed the other hedgehog as a uncle, but decided he would ask about that later.

"Ah! So that's what happened. Then I guess this should thank the both of you. Why don't you stay for a while? I'm sure you're tired after such a… eventful day," Chuck said, "And you, young man, " the hedgehog turned to Tails, "should consider this a valuable lesson. Always keep your eyes on your surroundings," he lectured. The fox nodded meekly, "Yes, Uncle Chuck,"

"Now, if you wish, you can use the guest room for tonight," Chuck said, leading the other hedgehogs into the house. He went down the hallway and opened a door. Shadow looked in and saw the room was neatly decorated; there was even place for them to wash. "Wow, we can really sleep here?" Blue asked, also taking a peek inside. "Sure you can. Now, I don't know if you have problems with rolling out of bed at night, but I still have a edge raiser from Miles if you want to be safe," Chuck suggested, Blue getting a slightly confused expression but shaking his head, "Don't think I'll need it, Mister Chuck, but I'll be fine sleeping on the floor too", Blue said, earning a questioning expression towards Shadow from Chuck.

Shadow saw the look and said, "It'll be alright. We've been outside for a good while, so it'll be great to sleep in a normal bed again", he ensured Chuck, whispering, "I'll explain in the morning." Chuck nodded, deciding to leave the others to themselves, "See you in the morning."

When he walked to the front of the house, the blue-violet hedgehog saw the lights in the workshop still on. He went inside to turn the lights off, but saw Miles working on something. "Why are you still up, Miles?! Shouldn't you be in bed?" The fox answered, "Yeah, but I had a idea to help out Blue's running problems and I wanted to complete this before tomorrow," the kit explained what he saw when Blue ran and Chuck nodded in understanding.

"Well, then, let me lend you a hand. We'll be done quicker that way." With that, the two started on their project once more…

* * *

**Edit:** _Updated this chapter based on received feedback. Thanks everyone! I just need to figure out what happened to the original paragraph one..._

Well, here's part 2! I really outdone myself this time! Almost 2300 words for one part! :)  
Grammatical/spelling issues can always be pointed out, as I really want to improve my English writing skills.  
Also, ideas on where to take the story are welcome too, though I have a rough idea where to take this myself. I'm always open to ideas.

I've been recieving some very good response on this fanfiction and I'd like to thank everyone who reviewed so far!

Also, I have a deviantART account under the same name as I use here, so if you'd like you could go and take a look.  
There's some extra things in that account regarding the story, like a profile for Sonic (I'll also do one for Shadow later) and a design for his shoes.

I've been contacted by fellow artist DarkUltraSonic who wanted to draw a doujinshi (sp?) for my story to practise his drawing skills.  
He also made me a cover page for chapter 1 of the story, which looks very nice. Please go take a look if you want. :)

**ATL: **I know it's a bit slow at the moment, but I don't want to rush things. There's a lot of stories that are great to read, but sometimes lack some proper backgrounds to their versions of the characters. I don't want that to happen to my story. Things will probably pick up pace in chapter 5 or 6, as I'm going to do a time-skip of a few years then (with flash-backs to the periods between that). Hope there's enough action right now, though. ;)

**Ghostkid33**: Well, Shadow's discovered Sonic's need for speed; did you like his reaction?

**Hedgehog B. Rebecca**: It's nice to see you so entusiastic, but I'm not ready yet to include things like music and poems. I know they can add an extra dimension to a story, but I'm not confident enough to do those things yet. ;) Thanks for the review, though :)

**N. Harmonik:** Thanks for the feedback! I think I changed the sentences you mentioned.. And don't worry, I won't describe every little thing Blue's having to relearn, as that would really drag out the story. Glad you like how I describe things, though. How did I do this part? Did it feel rushed in some parts? And Buttnik's not going to have a large part of the story yet, but I'm going do include a little part on him during one of the next two chapters. After the time-skip things'll really pick up pace with him in the picture. ;)

**FantomoDrako**: I hope the drawing turns out well for you. I'm really curious to see the result. ;) As for Shadow's patience, he's got a lot of it in this story, but he doesn't really mind the questioning since he's in a similar situation with his memories. Let's just say his personality isn't as dark as in the official storylines, but he's not exactly happy-go-lucky either.

**Sal: **Nice guess, but totally cold. I'm not that cruel to turn his parents against him like you suggest. ;) No, I have some plans for them, but just wait and see. :)

* * *

- Sonic, Tails and Shadow are (c) SEGA/Sonic Team/Yuij Naka  
- Charles "Chuck" Hedgehog is (c) Archie Comics/SEGA  
- This story is (c) jorenmartijn


	5. Chapter 3, part 3: Let the speed mend it

Many thanks to **FantomoDrako** for beta-reading this part!  
**UPDATE! **Here's your chance to influence the story's direction! Please vote on my profile and tell me if you'd like to have Shadow and Blue _stay in Knothole for a while_, or if you want them to _move on_. Thanks!

* * *

**_- Chapter 3: Let the speed mend it – PART 3_**

The next morning, the black hedgehog was woken by a knock on the door. After regaining his bearings, Shadow called, "Yes?"

Chuck answered, opening the door slightly, "Good morning, Shadow. Did you sleep well?"

Said hedgehog couldn't stifle a yawn, answering, "Better since a long while, thank you!"

Chuck laughed, "Then you must be out a lot, don't you? Care to share a few stories during breakfast with us about your travels?"

Shadow smiled, "It's the least I can do to repay your generosity. Not many mobians would let a near complete stranger sleep in their house."

The blue-violet hedgehog replied, "Well, it's the least I can do since you saved Miles from those animals. He is like a son to me, so I'm very grateful for your interference. By the way, is the youngster awake yet?" he asked, referring to the blue hedgehog boy.

Shadow turned to the other bed and couldn't help but let a small grin tug the corners of his mouth, saying, "Why don't you come see for yourself?"

The other hedgehog entered the room, spotting a half-curled ball of blue spines on the other bed. He smiled, the boy having taken on a position most hedgehogs did by instinct when sleeping or if they sensed danger. Chuck moved over to the bed and put a gentle hand on the boy's shoulder, whispering, "Wake up now, sonny. Rise and shine."

Blue stirred, giving a loud yawn before his emerald eyes appeared, albeit sleepily blinking. "… Do I have ta wake up?" he grumbled, sleep weighing him down for the most part.

Shadow chuckled, "You don't have to, that is, if you don't care for breakfast."

"Breakfast?" Blue asked, trying to shake off the haze of sleep. He stretched out lazily, rubbing the last of his sleepiness from his eyes.

The black hedgehog simply replied, "It's food," causing the boy to be instantly awake.

"Food?! Great! I'm hungry!" the boy exclaimed, resulting in snickering from the two adults.

"When you two are ready, just go to the front of the house. We'll be eating outside today, since the living room's a tad too small for all of us" Chuck said, turning to leave. After one last look at his two guests, the elder hedgehog left the room as he went to prepare breakfast. When he reached the kitchen, he found that Tails was already there.

"Morning, Uncle Chuck!" the fox exclaimed cheerfully, getting a few dishes from the drawer.

"Good morning, Miles. Did you sleep well?" the older hedgehog asked, getting some eggs from the fridge.

"I slept quite good. I just hope my project will work for Blue," Tails replied, re-running all the tests he and Chuck did in his head.

"It will work. Don't worry about it, sonny. Always look at things from the bright side," the hedgehog told the kit with a smile.

Tails nodded, "Yeah, I guess you're right, Uncle" he admitted, his twin tails swishing happily.

A while later, the three hedgehogs and lone fox had finished their breakfast when Tails and Chuck decided to announce their surprise for Blue.

"Now, Blue, Tails told me about your little problem while running. You run so fast, your feet get hurt from the friction. Isn't that right?", Chuck questioned.

Blue took a moment before answering, "Yeah... whenever I try to run real fast, my feet become really hot. It hurts a lot when I stop, too... I'll probably need ta learn ta not run so fast." the boy said, his face holding a sad expression upon realizing what the last part of his sentence meant; he'd never feel that energizing rush again.

Tails laughed, saying, "Well, I think I might know somethin' that might help." to which Chuck added, "You see, when you saved my boy here, you didn't just save any ordinary kid; this one's quite a genius when it comes to inventing!"

Shadow and Blue stared at the two, the black hedgehog vocalizing his surprise, "You have got to be kidding, right? There is no way someone as young as Miles could be an inventor; kids of Miles' age should be playing with their friends!"

The fox laughed at that, replying, "If you don't believe me, why don't I prove it to you? I'll go get my project."

With that, the fox ran to the workshop, only to return in less than half a minute, setting down a small box on the table in front of Blue. "I made these myself. Believe me, you won't find another pair quite like it anywhere."

Just then, Blue noticed something odd; instead of simply walking back, the twin-tailed fox suddenly seemed to have gained some height. Tilting his head, he noticed the kit wasn't even touching the ground! "What the…? How come you're up in the air, Tails?!" Blue exclaimed, causing Shadow to take a closer look as well to confirm the fox was, indeed, flying.

"Oh, I guess I forgot to mention: I can fly by using my tails as a propeller," Tails explained.

Chuck added, "That's what makes Miles so unique. He used to be teased quite a lot because of his tails, but he proved to those people that being different isn't something to be ashamed of. Now, why don't you open the box and see what's inside, sonny?"

Blue, still gaping in awe at Tails' ability to fly, shook his head and turned to the box in front of him. He slowly opened the box, revealing something he'd least expected to see. "Wow, those are…" Blue began.

"… Shoes!" Shadow finished, perplexed, since buying Blue a pair of shoes in Knothole was one of the things on his list for today's activities.

"That's right! But they aren't just some ordinary shoes! I call them Power SOAPs!" Tails said happily, his twin tails waving excitedly.

"These are great! But are they for me?" Blue asked, having taken a shoe out of the box and examining it from all sides.

"Of course they are, sonny. Shadow and Miles told me about your little running problem. The timing was perfect, as Miles and myself were working on these shoes when you two saved my boy," Chuck replied, putting a hand on Tails' shoulder, "Now, why don't you try them on, Blue? Miles can explain what they do while you do that," the elder hedgehog finished.

"Oh, okay then," Blue said, taking the other shoe out of the box. He hesitated, however, since he had no idea how to put them on.

Shadow responded by kneeling down and slipping both shoes onto the boy's feet. It was then he noticed the shoes were too big for Blue. "Uhm, there's a little problem here: the shoes aren't Blue's size."

Tails laughed, shaking his head, replying, "And there's where the first feature of my shoes comes in." With that, he pressed the green buttons that Shadow had assumed were for decoration on both shoes that faced outward. The buttons began blinking slowly; Blue could feel the shoes becoming smaller, adjusting to his feet.

"Hey, they fit!" Blue exclaimed, shaking his legs to confirm the shoes fit snugly.

"How did you do that? As far as I know, shrinking materials like that is not possible," Shadow said, looking over to Miles and Chuck.

"Like I said, this is one of the features I built into the shoes' fabric. The magic behind it relies solely on a special sort of rubber I discovered. When you rescued me, I just finished collecting some substances I needed to mix the rubber with, making the rubber very flexible. And when you grow bigger, Blue, the shoes will grow along with you!" Tails explained, watching Blue's reaction.

"Oh, this is so great! Thanks, Tails!" Blue said, hugging Tails.

The twin-tailed fox waved it of, "If it weren't for you guys, I probably wouldn't be here now. This is the least I can do. And it's not as if I don't get anything in return, either."

Shadow looked up with a questioning expression, "And what might that be?"

"The shoes collect data for me, so when you run or walk, they register things like pressure and acceleration. That way I can improve them," Tails answered.

"I get it. Then I think we should try them out, don't you think so, Blue?" Shadow said, looking at the other hedgehog with a grin tugging the corners of his mouth.

Blue smiled and nodded, "I can't wait! When can we go?!" he asked, jumping up and down excitedly.

Chuck chuckled (pardon the pun) and went to lock the doors of the workshop and house. Soon, the elder hedgehog joined the others. "Now we can go. There is a large grass field outside of Knothole, which is a great spot to try out those new shoes of yours, Blue."

Tails chipped in, "And I can get some data from that run!"

"Then what are we waiting for? I think Blue's ready to burst with excitement," Shadow said, noticing Blue's restlessness.

"Let us not wait any longer then," Chuck said, setting foot on the road.

The four of them walked in the direction Chuck mentioned, taking them through Knothole's town square. While the two boys were chatting with each other, Shadow and Chuck were talking about Blue's memory loss, Chuck's experience with amnesiacs in the Great War as a medical assistant as he gave Shadow tips on how to recover the boy's memory. They were also trying to come up with a suitable name for Blue, which proved to be harder than they thought.

As they passed a fountain, Shadow noticed a regal-looking chipmunk girl talking with a female rabbit sporting a mechanical arm and leg, along with a walrus who had oil spots on his face. It again amazed him how freely social classes interacted in this village. He caught a snippet of their conversation.

"… wonder how Jules is doing…" the chipmunk said.

"He's probably fine; you know he said he'd pay a visit after his training was completed," the walrus replied.

The rabbit added, "'Ah know ye had a crush on 'im, Sally-girl. Do ya miss 'im?"

"Nonsense, Bunnie, you know I don't like him like that…" the chipmunk said, a blush staining her cheeks.

"If ya say so, Sally-girl. But 'ah know better 'n that…" Bunnie replied with a grin.

The rest of their conversation was drowned in the background noise and Shadow directed his attention back to Chuck, who was now reliving some of his memories about the Great War.

It didn't take long for the group to reach the outskirts of the village, exiting through another gap in the surrounding wall.

"Just a bit further!" Tails called, having lifted up in the air using his twin tails.

"I can't wait!" Blue shouted from below, hardly able to contain the anticipation of a run.

They arrived at a large grass field that spanned for several kilometers, giving them more than enough space to run their tests. Chuck directed Blue to a point between two trees, telling him to wait a moment while the others got to a spot where they wouldn't interfere.

"All right, Blue! Are you ready?" Tails called.

"Ready when you are!" the blue one replied.

"Alright, then! On the word 'go!', start running!", Tails instructed, signaling the others to count down with him.

"3, 2, 1… GO!" the three of them yelled, watching Blue take off.

There it was again, that energizing feeling that coursed through his body, pushing him to pump his legs even faster. "Gotta go faster, faster, faster!" Blue mumbled to himself, repeating the mantra over and over.

"Wow, he's as fast as you said, Shadow!" Tails exclaimed, astounded that such speed was possible.

"He is certainly something, Shadow!" Chuck said.

"He's much faster than I imagined he would be! Your shoes seem to do their job great, Tails!" Shadow called to Tails.

"You know, why don't we give Blue a name to relate to his speed, like my name relates to my two tails?" Tails suggested.

"Good idea, Tails. Now we just need to figure out which name…" Shadow said, thinking of a suitable name for the blue hedgehog.

"What about Rush, or Dash?" Chuck suggested. At that same moment, a resonating boom in the distance interrupted the three individuals' conversation.

What could be the cause of the boom? To answer that question, we need to go back in time a little bit.

The boy felt more alive then ever! His body was full of energy, along with a exhilarating feeling coursing through his veins.

"YaHOO!" Blue yelled, his voice being drowned by the roaring wind. Suddenly, the effort to keep accelerating became much harder! But the boy wouldn't give up.

"C'mon, c'mon! Faster, faster, faster!" he struggled until a deafening bang pierced his ears. He opened his eyes to see a blue halo surround him, blurring his surroundings. Blue didn't know what caused the bang, but he hoped everything was okay. Slowing down a little, he made a U-turn, amazed at how little effort it took for him to keep his balance.

Back with the others, Tails had come to a possible conclusion. "Guys, I know it sounds crazy and far fetched… but I think we heard Blue break the sound barrier!" he disbelievingly said.

"You mean, that bang was a sonic boom?!" Chuck asked, not able to believe what he was hearing.

'A sonic boom? But as far as I know, the only person to be able to create one of those is myself!' Shadow thought, pausing as he realized something, "SONIC boom?!" he exclaimed out loud, causing the others' attention to shift to him.

"Yes, that's what we said," Tails replied, not getting what Shadow was aiming at.

"We agreed Blue needed a name that relates to speed, right?" the black hedgehog said, "And doesn't a _sonic _boom relate to speed?" he finished, a grin tugging the corners of his mouth.

"What do you… Oh, I get it!" Chuck exclaimed, suddenly getting what Shadow was aiming at.

"It sounds like a great name! Let's tell him when he comes back!" Tails said, his twin-tails waving excitedly.

"Look! There he comes now!" Chuck called, seeing the blue hedgehog approaching.

The blue hedgehog was slowing down considerably now, since he didn't want to crash into the three other animals. As he neared, he started to feel three separate spikes of excitement aside from his own adrenaline-fueled excitement. This made him grin even wider than he already had during his run.

When he finally came to a halt with a screech, the boy panted only lightly from the minimal effort his little race took. "So - how'd I do?" Blue asked Tails, him being the nearest.

"You did great, Blue!" the fox said, taking out a small device he was carrying. "This'll let me read out the data your shoes collected, so I can analyze it," he explained, flipping it open and revealing two screens on the top and bottom half. Then, the device was held close to the buttons of both shoes, the buttons flashing in a slow rhythm as the data was sent to the device.

"Data storage complete," a mechanical voice announced, causing the buttons on the shoes to stop flashing.

Tails flipped the device shut, "Thanks, Blue! I'm sure this will be useful! Now, the three of us have a little surprise for you," he said, taking Blue back to the others.

When they met up with Shadow and Chuck, the two smiled and Blue gave a thumbs-up in response. He didn't know why he did that, it just seemed like the right thing to do.

"Great job, Blue. You really amazed me with that performance!" Shadow applauded Blue, resting a hand on the boy's shoulder.

"Hehe, but it was thanks to Tails' shoes that I could run so fast," Blue responded, still grinning.

"No, no, it was all you, Blue! The shoes just prevented your feet from burning to cinders!" Tails explained.

"Oh, so I did it myself? That's so cool!" Blue said happily.

"Now, you remember when we said we wanted to come up with a suitable name for you, Blue?" Chuck asked, glancing towards the others.

"Yeah, I think you did say that, mister Chuck," the boy answered, now becoming curious.

"Well, we agreed you needed a name that held a connection with your ability, and an effect you produced gave us perfect name for you," Chuck said, his eyes twinkling.

"Oh? Was it that bang I heard?" Blue asked.

"It was. What you heard was a sonic boom, which you created," Shadow said, "Which brings us to your new name, which will be…" at which the three inhaled and said once, "SONIC!"

The newly named blue hedgehog could only laugh in approval.

* * *

Well, here is chapter 3 part 3 of _Shadow's Partner_!  
A lot of things happen in here, such as Blue getting his name and shoes. We also get to read about Chuck's role in the great war.  
There's also a reference to one of the other Sonic timelines; see if you can find it!

What do you think of this part? Was the ending not too mushy or anything?

**Sal:** Hey there. I get what you mean, now. And no, they don't know about the incident. There is a profile on Sonic (with spoilers!) on my deviantART profile (same name as here), where you can read about his family connections. You'll see that he's been adopted before he met Shadow, but those adopted parents don't know about his disappearance either. You did give me a good idea when you mentioned Sleet and Dingo, however, so I'll see how they can fit in this story.

**Hedgehog B. Rebecca:** No worries. ;) Hopefully you like this chapter/part, too.

**Ghostkid33:** Hehe, it must have been comical to see Shadow's expression like that. :) I do check the spelling as much as I can, but making mistakes is humanly, right? Rest assured that I try not to make the same mistake twice. ;)

**N. Harmonik: **I try my best to be as detailed as possible, but I need to find a balance. Tails is slightly older than Sonic, but not much (about a year older or so). Yes, Chuck's related to Sonic, but he hasn't been in contact with his brother and his wife for quite a while now, so he's not up-to-date with things right now. He doesn't know his brother has had kids. Like I said to Sal, check my deviantART account for the profiles on Sonic and Shadow if you want to know about their relations. ;)

**FantomoDrako**: Like I said before, Chuck isn't up-to-date with what his brother has been doing, so he won't recognize Sonic as being his brother's son immediately. The fact that Sonic's a different shade of blue plays a part, too. Chuck is violet/blue (I wanted to make Sonic unique in that, so he's pure blue) so that plays a part, too. I'm still thinking about what role Dulcy could play, so she won't be included (yet).

**suicunelvr: **We'll be hearing from Tails and Chuck now and then, so I'm glad you like it. :)

Disclaimer:  
- Sonic, Shadow and Tails are (c) SEGA/Sonic Team/Yuji Naka  
- Uncle Chuck, Bunnie, Rotor, Jules and Sally are (c) SEGA/Archie Comics  
- _Shadow's Partner_ is (c) jorenmartijn


	6. Chapter 4: Beginning of plots

**Author's notes: **Hey everyone! Sorry for the long wait, but suffering from the feared writer's block isn't very funny. Anyway, I still got writer's block, but I made this chapter instead to help me get the story set up properly with a plot, hence the name of this chapter. You may see some familiar faces from different universes, but this fic will not focus on one universe in particular. I'm also building on some background of the characters, including my own family related theories. Sonic and Shadow will appear next chapter.

Hope I did well! Thanks for all your reviews during my period of being gone. Also, if there's no new chapter up before the holiday, I want to wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

_- Chapter 4: Beginning of plots_

It was a damp morning in an unknown location. Sunrays were having trouble penetrating the thick roof of leafs that covered this large area. The plants were forming a wall that looked impenetrable, or so it seemed.

Suddenly, a red dot appeared behind the plants, causing a bit of smoke to escape the spot. The red dot began moving to create a half of a circle. When the dot disappeared, the plants fell away, revealing a man with a jungle hat on, whose body was oddly shaped like an egg. Glasses covered his eyes, thick enough to hide them from view, giving the man a scientist look. He even had a large, bushy moustache to complete the picture.

"Hohoho!" the man laughed, moving into the clearing he'd made with the laser of his metallic walker. "So this is what my father was talking about. A sanctuary said to hold a tablet containing the key to the ultimate force of destruction!"

"Unfortunately for dear father, those blasted animals locked him up after capturing him when he attempted to show them who is superior," the bald human mused, "And it was a total fluke that they caught him, too!"

"Fortunately for me, I managed to stay out of the spotlights long enough to plot a revenge against those fur balls," he went towards the now-visible temple, which was oddly low on floors, meaning it had to be partly underground, "And now, with the information contained on that tablet, I will finally be able to form a plan of war."

"Enjoy your piece while you still can, mobians, because it will not last much longer! I, Doctor Ivo Robotnik, will see to that! Who-hohohoho!" Robotnik laughed insanely.

He pressed a button on his dashboard. A little static appeared, clearing up to reveal two robots, one a golden color with a long body, the other silver colored with a more plump body.

"Decoe, Bocoe, I have located the temple my father described in his logs! Send some DiggerBOTs to my current location, immediately!" he barked, the plumb robot beginning to type frantically.

The other nervously replied, "Y-yes, Doctor! We're on it! By the way, your contact reported that he lost the kid when he kidnapped him. He said the carriage c-caught fire, somehow, and the kid was thrown out when a large rock hit one of the wheels. He attempted to retrieve the kid, but could not find him anywhere in the vicinity. He is awaiting further instructions."

"You can't get any good help these days," Robotnik mumbled irritated, "Well, tell him to continue his searching. If he has not found the brat at the end of the month, he will have to refocus his search on the other two. They are all needed to force the Kingdom of Animalia to surrender to the Robotnik Empire. I'm moving into the temple. Do not disturb me during our search, unless it has priority Red!" he finished.

The robot on-screen replied, "Right, Doctor. Good luck searching. Decoe and Bocoe, over and out…"

With that, the obscene doctor directed his walker towards the temple.

………………….

"Oh, where could he be…?!" a female rabbit sighed. An adult crocodile and a little rabbit girl accompanied her. They were in a big city park, apparently looking for someone. Skyscrapers rose high into the sky in the area around the park, sounds of traffic and pedestrians audible faintly.

"Vanilla, honey, ya' know we can't answer that question. We put up those posters with Maurice's picture, so all we can do now is hope someone can help us find him," the crocodile answered patiently. He even had his headphones hanging around his neck for the occasion.

"Dad, do you think big brother is okay?" the little rabbit asked the crocodile. She had a little blue creature with her that floated above her shoulder. The yellow ball on its head was shaped like an exclamation mark. It, too, was worried for this Maurice person. Of course, it also didn't like to see its owner sad.

"Well, it's time for me to go back to the garage, dear"

Vanilla, the mother, answered that question, "Cream, dear, we're doing our best to find Maurice. If we had a clue of where he was seen last, it would be much easier," she sighed, finding the situation becoming more hopeless by the second. Each tick of the clock meant a higher probability Maurice getting lost even more, or even worse, killed.

'Don't think like that, Vanilla! Be strong, for your daughter,' she firmly thought to herself.

The little girl oh-ed, looking up to the sky, whispering, "Please be OK, big brother, wherever you are…"

…………………………

"Stop that thief!" a voice yelled, several anthros running out of a store, chasing after another one. It was a rainy day in the gray city of Mobotropolis, nothing to get excited about. Nothing exciting, that is, if it weren't for the robbery that had just happened.

The perpetrator, a young, dark green hedgehog, was currently running for his live, using all his skills to avoid getting caught. The male used his natural speed to stay ahead of his chasers, grinning with excitement. _They think they can keep up with me? Hah! I'll show 'em!_

Someone, a black-furred cat mobian, jumped in front of the hedgehog, trying to stop him, but he just jumped over him, like the feline wasn't even there. He turned into an alley in-between two large buildings, finding himself at a dead end. "Darn it! Now what to do?!" the boy muttered, his pierced ears perking up at the sound of running and panting mobians.

He turned, bracing himself as the others came around the corner, effectively locking him in. He was trapped! Or so they thought.

"Alright, you little thief! Return that jewel you stole! It's far too expensive to be in the hands of scum like you!" a dog mobian shouted, pointing his finger at the young hedgehog. An albatross and a rhino mobian were standing at each of the dogs' side, appearing like some sort of bodyguards. They were both large and bulky looking.

"'Ya know, that's really the whole point of somethin' bein' too expensive, isn't it? 'Ya nick it," the hedgehog's voice, light and cheery, said, as if he wasn't facing off a mob of people that seemed like they wanted to strangle him. His blue eyes twinkled mischievously. Of course he had a backup plan; he always had one.

"You asked for it, you rat! Let's show him who's boss!" the dog mobian growled, him and the others getting ready to pounce the hedgehog.

"Heh!" that was the only sound the hedgehog made, getting ready to act at the right moment. He clutched an object in his fist that was in his pocket.

The other three mobians growled, closing in. "NOW!" the dog yelled, the albatross and rhino acting immediately, pouncing on the hedgehog.

The green boy grinned, taking out the object in his hand in lightening speed, throwing it between the other three. It exploded with a bright _flash_, momentarily blinding the enraged animals, making them tumble over each other in a heap. Smoke soon filled the alley, the green hedgehog escaping in the confusion.

"Hehe! It's all muscles and no brains!" the boy said to himself, hearing the angry voices coming out of the alley. He ran out of the street, using the crowd that was walking the main shopping street as his cover. Crossing the road, he went into the park, hiding in one of the trees for a few minutes. 'Hmm… I bet the coast is clear', he thought, looking down from the tree he was hiding in, jumping down again and exiting the park again.

As he turned into yet another alley, someone leaping of a fire-escape ladder greeted him. This person was a red, female fox, who looked quite attractive. "Well hello there, Manic. That was quite a show you put up back there. Impressive," she said in a seductive voice.

A blush came to the other's cheeks, who scratched the back of his head in an embarrassed way, "Hey, Fiona. So 'ya saw that, right?"

"'Course I did, dear. After all, someone's gotta watch your back, right? But you handled yourself well enough," she winked, giving Manic a kiss on the cheek, making his blush increase even more. "Now, what you've gotten that got them so riled up?"

The green hedgehog reached into his quills, taking out a grayish stone. "Look, this one looked pretty rare ta me, so I snagged it. It's a pretty strange shape, too," he added. Indeed, the gem was very defined in shape and size, it being cut out very finely.

"You know, Manic, I think that's called an emerald. But… The strange thing is, they're supposed to be green, not gray. I think you're gonna have a hard time selling this one, not to mention it's gonna blow your cover. I'd say keep it yourself for now, as tempting it is to make a good fortune of it," Fiona said, looking over the emerald with an expert look.

The boy got a disappointed look, "Oh, so 'ya tellin' me I basically wasted my time with this? Oh well, at least it was fun humiliating those blokes!" he joked, putting the gem back into his quills.

"That's my Manic, always seeing a bright side of everything," Fiona remarked, leaning in and pressing a kiss on his cheek, causing a blush to form yet again on the boy's face. "Now, what'd you say we get back to the Guild?"

"S-sure, s-sounds fine to me," the boy stuttered, pressing his fingers against the spot Fiona just kissed.

And with that, the two took of, disappearing into the myriad of alleys that littered the city.


End file.
